Cap d’Agde

Over the past few years, many people have asked me various questions on visiting Cap d’Agde in the South of France. Having visited it recently I agreed to write a quick post providing some insight into this famous naturist holiday village. My aim is not to confuse the details with my own opinion on the place, but try to provide as much factual details as I can and have witnessed. You (the reader) may wish to express your views and you are welcome to do so but please try to keep your enthusiasm or disgust/disagreements at the civil level so that this post doesn’t turn into a virtual riot!

I shall focus on the following;

Cost of visiting Cap d’Agde.

Naturist Facilities/location.

Is it a naturist site or too sex orientated?

Would I go again?

Cost

Same as most other holiday resorts, the cost obviously depends on what you want to do and whether you can afford it and happy to pay will obviously depend on your disposable income. What is obvious in Cap d’Agde is that, it is NOT a place for natural naturists who believe that it doesn’t cost anything to go naked, after all, you don’t have to pay anyone to take your clothes off at the beach or in your back garden so why pay anything to anyone just so that you can enjoy the natural beautiful beach, the clear Mediterranean waters and good company? The problem is that even the most natural places need looking after and there is a lot of looking after to do where you have 1000s of people enjoying themselves each summer, it is surprising how ‘dirty’ some naked people are!!

The point is that as well as travel costs you also have to pay to use the beach. In addition you need to pay for accommodation and food, both of these things can set you back a considerable amount.

You can reduce costs by;

Selecting lower grade accommodation in the Village

Sleep outside the Village and just get a day pass for the duration, you will need a car.

Buy from shops rather than eat in the restaurants all the time.

Make friends with some wealthy Germans who offer to feed you! J

If you wish to go there, the quickest way if obviously to fly, Montpellier is the nearest airport. Flights are not cheap unless you want to travel off season and willing to book months in advance. You could go by train or car. Most English people will chose to go there as part of package holidays and if you search on the Internet, you will find a couple of companies providing that service. I can’t comment on value for money as I’ve never used them. The most economical way to travel is obviously as a group in a mini van or coach. However it is quite likely that you will fall out with your friends long before you’ve completed the 700 miles journey!

We’ve always gone as a family in a car, not only because it’s cheaper but also because it’s flexible, you can change your plans as you go along.

Naturist Facilities/Location

Cap d’Agde has just about every facility that any Naturist might want whilst on holidays. It is a self-contained village and there is not really any need to leave it, unless you want to explore the town, which is worth exploring.

You can shop in the nude, eat in the nude (not all restaurant allow this at night), dance in the nude and sleep in the nude, so what more could you ask for?

If you have a Boat, you can sail there, the marina is quite large and some very expensive looking boats/Yachts can be seen moored there.

There is almost every kind of shop there, including bank/cash machines, hairdressers and CLOTHING, well lots of clothing shops (weirdly enough). Most of the clothing shops are ‘sexy’ attire, if you’re into that sort of thing then you stand a good chance of being ripped off! The prices for anything are probably 10 times more expensive than what you can get on the internet and probably twice as expensive than what you may need to pay in Cap d’Agde town, however the choice may be limited. I’d suggest keeping your money in the wallet and don’t let the excitement of wearing open crouch fishnet stockings get the best of you… here I’m talking to the men of course!!

The location is very well suited for a naturist resort, the beach ends at the resort so no clothed ‘walkers’ come by. You’re expected to be fully nude on the beach, but some people do wear bottoms at time, this is overlooked and no one bothers you.

Being on the South coast of France, the weather is normally very good during the high season, but can be disappointing coming to the end of August/beginning of September.

The town of Cap d’Agde is worth visiting, the shops are fabulous and the restaurants at the quayside are good value for money (cheaper than the Naturist Village) and the food is good all around. Whether you’re hardened Naturist or not or whether you’ve go there just for naturism, It is definitely worth going to visit the quayside for dinner in the evening, you will have to dress but you can wear a little as you like without making yourself a spectacle for other visitors.

Naturists Site or Sex Haven

I have heard far too much about sex at Cap d’Agde, this is more apparent at night than day time. Of course there is sex, as it is everywhere and yes sex is associated with nudity by most people, but the fact is that same as at any other place, you DO NOT have to experience it or see it if you don’t wish to.

The largest part of the beach is used by families and others visiting the resort, most families tend to use the right hand side (as you look out to the sea). This is where most of the facilities, restaurants ­­are. If you walk along the beach to the left you will walk into ‘couples’ beach, this is where most people are couples (funny enough) and some tend to do naught things but not so much in middle of the day. This is against the law and over the years there have been various measures taken by the local authorities to put a stop to this kind of activities. In my experience, I have not seen any serious act of sex but I’m told it does happen from time to time and more so later on in the day. The view I have is that I have a choice not to use that part of the beach and I practice that choice it is not something that I agree with this kind of open sexual activity degrades the pure and simple vision of naturist life. I have walked on the beach front from end to end many times and no one has ever said or done anything to give me any cause for concern.

At night there are 2 main areas where you can go out to eat and drink. One of these areas is quite normal (Heliopolis) and the other (Port Nature area) is somewhat ‘Sexual & Adventurous’ and departs from the naturist way of life.

Most of the clubs (if not all) have a sex related atmosphere and cater for people who want to go out and have fun in whatever way they like. There is not much that doesn’t go on at these places. My view is that when visiting Cap d’Agde, don’t expect a British Naturism type ‘disco’, people come here from all over the world and they want to do crazy things, so if that is not your cup of tea, don’t pay the high prices to go into these clubs. Or in my case, I do whatever that suits me, just because I go into any club, it doesn’t mean I have to be part of any sex activity. No one is going to abuse or rape you there, if you are approached by anyone, you can just turn down any offer they make, but a word of warning.. you do have to be strong minded and know what is right and wrong for you and you are strong enough to say NO.

There are other areas/hotels that cater for couples only and have very active sexual environment, this is where the swingers and the likes go. These are normally behind their own fence and you don’t have to be involved with them.

My experience has been that I can walk totally in the nude as if I have just come off the beach through the most crowded place and people dressed up in ‘sexy’ way and no one bothers me.

Even if you’re dressed ‘sexy’ for the evening, no one bothers you, unless I suspect there is some common understanding that you want to be bothered.

Most of you know my views.. why go to a Naturist place and dress up whilst we try to live a natural clothes free life all other times. So during my last visit to Cap d’Agde, I dressed ‘normal’ one night and ate in the most expensive restaurant (Les Jardin ) and had a horrid meal that I didn’t eat .

The next day we dinned nude in a normal restaurant and had lovely time, rest of the time we ate in town.

My personal view on sex/naturism is that they do not go together just because you enjoy being nude doesn’t mean you want sex wherever you happen to be nude or that you want sex with others because they happen to be nude. Another way to look at this is that yes there are some naturists who like sex in the open and may also be swingers but at the same time there are also doctors, athletes, priests, teachers and shop keepers some of whom will also be in favour of sex in the open and some may also be swingers but we don’t talk about them in relation to their sexual behaviour and profession. We don’t say that all teachers are perverts even though some are. So.. I would advise you to consider the naturists in the same way.. yes some may like sex in the open and swinging but NOT ALL.

The strangest experience of my visit was that In Cap d’Agde, we were refused service in ‘Hot & Spicy’ restaurant as they don’t serve nudes! We obviously didn’t eat there and would recommend that you don’t either, whether you wish to dine in the nude or not. It annoys me that a restaurant in one of the most famous naturist places can have this house rule.

Would I Go Again.

The short answer is Yes but I would leave a gap of few years in between. It can get little boring visiting the same place too often and also there are so many other places in the world to enjoy.

I really do not have any problems with whatever people get up to as there are plenty of ‘normal’ naturists and families to keep you company. When visiting Cap d’Agde, you can be whatever you want to be and enjoy whatever tickles your fancy, you don’t have to get involved in anything that doesn’t suit you.

In my view, the freedom to be clothed or naked, day and night anywhere and everywhere is true freedom and should be experienced by all, at least once in a lifetime and Cap d’Agde is one place I know that facilitates this, so would I definitely recommend a visit and I would recommend that you focus on what makes you happy and ignore whatever else goes on around you.

26 Responses to “Cap d’Agde”

Great report LadyG. My husband and I visited Cap d’Agde in August 2013. We loved the place. Because of the busy August season we were unable to get lodging in or near Cap d’ Agde. Instead we stayed in Sete and found it to be a wonderful city. From there it was an easy drive, 30 minutes or so, to the naturist village. One of our favorite things to do was to have an American breakfast at an outdoor cafe and watch the wide variety of people who lined up for their morning coffee and croissant.

We enjoy being naked on the beach but don’t consider ourselves to be “nudists” or “naturists” in the ideological form. We just think people should have the freedom to be nude in legally designated places that have the same protection and maintenance as textile places. I think that we would have more beaches where it was legal to be nude if the nudist organizations became more inclusive. Most people who like to skinny dip don’t think of themselves as nudists. They wouldn’t ever think of joining a nudist organization. Somehow we need to get these millions of skinny dipping non-nudists involved in the effort to have more places where it’s legal to be nude.

I’ve read reports of sex on the beach. I took my husband on a walk along the beach to see if the reports were true. Well I don’t doubt that it takes place, but we never saw anything even close to it. And we’re okay with people who enjoy that sort of thing as long as they keep to their end of the beach.

The night, as you report, takes on a completely different atmosphere. Too crowded and noisy for us. Still it was interesting to see what it was like in the evening. We didn’t go into any clubs because they open late and we can’t stay awake past 10 P.M.

I admire your blogging. I’ve tried to do the same, but just lose interest. Same with Tweets. I’ll do okay for awhile, then my interest fades.

Hi, we are couple aged45 from Luxembourg and we are spending our hollidays for the last 6 years at the naturist city of Cap d’Agde. We go there the first 2 weeks in August and stay at the hotel Eve inside the resort.
When the weather is good, most people walk naked around the resort during the day but in the evening most of them are dressed.
Over the last 3 summers we observed that more and more women had shaved their pubic hair partially or shorn short and many were totally shaven. In August 2013 my wife had her pubic area completely waxed at a beauty salon inside the resort.

I agre with DUNCAN : le Cap D’Agde is A SEXUAL PLACE, and no longer a naturist place. Now in 2013 you can see sex EVERYWHERE in this part of the city, and not only at the beach part called “Baie des cochons” (dirty bay or pig bay).
During daytime and of course even more during night time you will see sexyly dressed people or BDSM people walking round always wishing to have someone to have sex with. The REAL NATURISTS have ran away many years ago from this snakepit. The only naturist thing in Le Cap d’Agde is the name they left at the entry gate… There are so many nice and real family naturist place in my country, so please AVOID Le Cap.
(LG COMMENT – I can’t agree with this comment in whole, but this is the view held by the person posting this so I am approving it for all to see)

People say you can avoid the sexual side if you want to. I disagree. We found that you would need to be blind to miss it everywhere you went. OK, people only publicly copulate and masturbate on the eastern end of the beach, but there are lesser sexual references everywhere, eg in a cafe, the cruets are models of erect penises!
If you are not a sexual libertine, avoid agde, IMHO.

Not sure which cafe is being ref to here but I have never seen that sort of thing in any of the Cafe/Restaurants I’ve been to there. I agree there are sexual undertones and many shops selling erotic garments are an indication of demand however my personal experience is that you can accept to ignore those things in the same way people ignore Anne Summers in the hight street if it is not something they’re interested in.

If one can not avoid the sexual side if they want to, how can they find it if they want to? I was there beginning at 7 AM the first day and there until 6 AM on the 8th day which makes 7 full days and 7 full nights. I walked about everywhere in the nude and napped after lunch so I could stay out and about until 3 and 4 AM. I was hoping to see some of this sexual side to tell my buddies of, since nobody would come along with me. So, went to the Cap alone in May 2009. The entire week long adventure cost me less than $1500 U.S. and I find that quite inexpensive. I am a U.S. citizen and booked my own transportation on the internet, a flight leaving Washington, DC, interconnected at Paris to Montpellier and from Montpellier took the TGV to Agde, then a bus to the Cap. My 2-bedroom apartment with queen-size bed in one bedroom and a bunk in the other, full bath and kitchenette plus patio was at the Heliopolis, included a garage for a car and cost less than any hotel in the area. I did eat out some, but also cooked and at i also. Enjoyed steaks, fresh baked goods and more. So when I say the adventure cost less than $1500 U.S., I am speaking of everything… souvenirs and gifts included. A 4-day trip to Walt Disney World cost me over $2700 only 2 years before and didn’t even pay for inter-continental flight. The only stupid thing I did, was pack 8 changes of clothes that I did not wear at all. At least I did not need to do laundry when I returned.

A prettty good review considering how huge and complex this place is. I have been a regular visitor ever since the place opened almost 40 years ago and ( as a specialist Naturist photo-journalist ) have written many features on just about every aspect of the place. One small point – there is a nearer airport than Montpelier. You can now fly to Bezier Vias – about 20 mins away by cab – from three UK locations.

Seems a fairly balance appraisal, based on my visit there.
I was looking for somewhere to base my yacht in the Med, but the marina is too shallow and too small for anything other than a small motor boat or day sailer. If I had put the boat there my grandchildren would have visited, but I would not take children to Agde. I am afraid the seedy sexual side of the place is too pervasive. OK for some adults, but not for children.

Great report! There are similar issues in *some* US nudist resorts – confusing, uncomfortable mixes of nude and non-nude areas and swingers and what I’d call more “pure” nudists or naturists. I know resorts go for a simplistic business model and go for both crowds, but I wish resorts would just try to attract one crowd or the other and be reasonable clear about it. Also, I much prefer resorts where nudity is allowed everywhere at all times. Anything else just doesn’t make sense at a real nudist resort.

Thank you LadyG for this report. Based on it, I wouldn’t ever stay there because of the sex element.

Cap d’Agde was the first naturist resort I ever visited but because of my wife’s attitude I could only visit in the morning, without her even knowing. It seems to me that was the best time for a genuine naturist day visitor. It was possible to walk in from the far end of the beach, or to cycle in to the camping area besides the main resort with no fee payable. Maybe they charged later in the day? At 9am it was free. Long, naked walks along quiet or deserted beaches where nothing untoward is going on are my favourite and it was pleasant to be able to briefly wander around the resort unencumbered by clothing. At 9am in July it is warm enough for a Brit to feel warm enough and as a newbie to naturism it was a revelation. The old town of Agde is well worth a visit.

I visited Cap d’Agde for a couple of consecutive years nearly 20 years ago and, after holidaying in other naturist places would have to say that I wouldn’t be inclined to visit again. Things may have changed but to me the atmosphere wasn’t natural and relaxed and if anything the naturism seemed forced. To many it seemed that nudity was merely a means to an end and many people didn’t have an interest in simply being naked. I also have to say that I met some of the creepiest people that I’ve met anywhere there.

I fully accept that others may have had experiences that totally contradict mine but Cap just isn’t a place that I would return to when there are so many nicer places to go.

Having attended Cap d’ Agde several times I would broadly agree with your report but would like to amplify a few areas. I have always stayed on the very extensive camp site which had the advantage of being economical as well as very naturist, ie sleep naked, walk naked to the ablution block shower naked with my wife in mixed showers and spend the day naked on the beach. I regard this as a great naturist experience. There are both caravans and tents as well as chalet style accommodation if booked in advance. There are also evening outdoor film shows and discos etc on the campsite as well as grocery shops. Regarding the left end of the beach you mention which is used by couples, this really is quite an area for exhibitionists. I have walked past and saw nothing but couples as you mention, but once I stopped, sat down and became part of the scenery things started to happen (even early afternoon). Girls kissing other girls, erections, voyeurism and a degree of ‘touching up’ were very evident. When outsiders walk past it all stops briefly. I walked past later in the day on one occasion to see a very large dense crowd gathered around a couple presumably having full sex. As you point out this is illegal but it appears to happen on a stretch of beach just outside the naturist resort and before the main textile beach. Regarding safety, an attractive girl in my party had an attempted rape whilst walking to the showers on the campsite back in the early 1990’s. The young male attacker was unsuccessful and ran off when she screamed. But it left her with cut knees where she had been forced to the ground and obviously considerably shaken up. We attempted to report the incident to the local police but they were not interested and broadly unsympathetic and useless. The same goes for the resort authorities who appeared to do nothing. This was approx 20 years ago and hopefully security is tighter now but I’d still advise caution and for girls to be accompanied in non crowded areas. It seemed more family orientated years ago than today with less people wearing the bdsm style attire too. Certainly I’d recommend it as a fantastic naturist destination with caution. If you visit Agde town on market day there is a fantastic market which is well worth seeing too. It’s possible to walk to the town but we took a bus on our return trip as it’s a bit of a trek. If you don’t want a day pass I think its possible to access the beach from the extreme left end without paying. We took a walk up there and found caravan sites and a small town/village but again its quite a walk down the beach.

Mr Wilson’s account is the more more accurate. In the couples area on the beach by the camp site even in the daytime sexual activity was commonplace (Sept 2011). You may not notice it when casually walking past but sit for a moment in the crowded bit and you can not miss it. My wife was not comfortable sitting there so we moved to the family area. You could avoid that area if you wished but if you are offended by such things, particularly if you have children, you may prefer to go to a more normal naturist resort.

Being German (although not of the too wealthy sort), I should go and look for like-minded sponsors… :-) Thanks for sharing your experience and yes, indeed, being nude everywhere is ultimate freedom and should be separated from the infamous “sex sells” image.